Natsu's Corner
by wolfsrainrules
Summary: Bleach-ed Nat-su has allowed my to play in her universes. I've been given free reign. She doesn't know what she's done.
1. Difference Between

**Bleach-ed Nat-su. I've said it before and I will say it again: you are an inspiration darling. Thank you for letting me play in your universes.**

 **This is my drop-all for the oneshots meant to take place in one of Natsu's stories. Each chapter will tell you which story it's in. Don't own these sandboxes. Just building castles. Also- my Xanxus swears. It's a thing.**

 **This first one takes place in** _ **The Difference Between.**_

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Xanxus was an exacting kind of man.

He had to be, especially with the position he found himself in with Iemitsu- may his soul burn for all eternity- and what that man had done to the Vongola. To Xanxus' family. He plotted, he planned, and he had 26 back up plans for his back up plans.

He was exacting and he was careful.

But _something wasn't right_. Something had been missed somewhere. He didn't have all the pieces and so the picture he had formed of the situation was wrong. His intuition was _writhing_. Whatever he had missed…it was _important_.

He wanted to blame the bastard brat of Iemitsu and the brat's Guardians. But what he had seen wasn't matching with what he was expecting.

That brat had been synched enough with his Storm to pull him back from the edge with his voice alone. They were close enough to _share Flames_. You couldn't fake that, and Xanxus _knew_ as sure as he knew the sky was blue, that Iemitsu would _never_ be able to do that for _anyone_. So why could his boy? What was different and _how_ different?

The brat's Rain had won, but had tried to help _his_ Rain out and Squalo had made a choice down in that water to _save_ the brat- had kicked him away from the water and to the winning floor. Xanxus had known then that whatever he had missed Squalo had seen it. His Rain had noticed that missing thing.

All the signs Xanxus was seeing and reading lead him the conclusion that this brat, for all that he was Iemitsu's son was _**not like that man.**_

It was Squalo's choice in the water that had made Xanxus still, sit up and look again though.

 _That_ had been the signal to Xanxus to start looking close. Closer than he had been. Xanxus knew that his Rain was _**his**_. That his Rain was loyal to the bone, would walk through fire for Xanxus without the Sky ever needing to ask. For him to go against the plan the way he had- for _**his**_ Rain to actively act to _save_ the boy meant something had _changed_. And Xanxus had missed it.

So Xanxus had pulled his rage back. He had taken a breath and looked again. His Rain had chosen to save the Guardian of Iemitsu's brat. With all that man had done, and all that the Varia had sacrificed, all the family had lost to that man's madness Squalo _would not have done so_ unless he had seen something to change the game _**entirely.**_

(And the _only_ thing that had allowed Xanxus to see this, to look at what his Rain did and acknowledge something had changed, was the bond he had with his Rain was still singing in his soul. Squalo was alive for all that he had hit the water bleeding while a shark was there. He had not lost one of his Pride. His Rain was not by his side, but he was living.)

So Xanxus was watching. He was observing and his intuition was writhing and he was _missing something_ and whatever it was, was _important._

The boy's Guardians were loyal to the brat. Entirely. The way Xanxus' Pride was loyal to _him_. That couldn't be forced, or faked. None of it could.

The boy's Cloud was hovering and utterly furious about something. That Cloud's instincts had not only been roused, but something had _belly flopped_ all over them. A Cloud was the first onto a battlefield and the last to leave it when it came to their people. This shitty Cloud was ready to go to war. The issue with that was how _worn_ he looked. Like he had already been on the warfront long before Xanxus had come along.

The Sun had hard eyes. Suns were mother hens and protective. Luss was like that. He flirted with everything that moved as a defense mechanism but once he claimed someone Luss _mothered_ them. The truly scary Sun was one that had an injured brood that needed to be protected because they were still in danger. This Sun was raging in completely ready to destroy threats to his own. This Sun's hackles were up and he was ready to murder. This Sun was reacting as if his brood was in _life-threating_ danger, and while that made sense- because the Varia _was_ life threatening- that didn't ring exactly right to Xanxus. It wasn't the Varia causing it. If Xanxus was reading the situation right (and Xanxus was one of the _fucking best_ at reading a situation) the Sun's hackles actually raised more when the brats _were going home._

What he needed to know was _why_.

The Mist twins Iemitsu's boy had pulled in were prowling through their own. Xanxus recognized it as protective behavior that was rare in a Mist. Most Mists were long-range fighters because of what they could do, but when a threat came in to a Mist's own, a threat they couldn't stop from seeing the true form of their own…they prowled. Xanxus wasn't sure why. No one was. He thought it might have something to do with the Mists looking for a weakness in the enemy and wanting to be close enough to protect while they did it. They couldn't hide their own away so they chose instead to stand physically in front of them. These Mist Twins were prowling, had been prowling from the beginning. The thing that was causing Xanxus to be twitchy was that while the Twins watched his Pride and himself, they were also watching _somebody else_ and Xanxus wasn't sure _who._

The little brat Lightning was another thing. _That_ was a child. The cow-child was so _young_ but his eyes were _old._ Old in a way that had Xanxus' hackles up because it wasn't _right_. That Lightning had been _hurt_. Xanxus wasn't _blind_. Someone had been hurting the child- this he knew. He also knew from the way the fuckers around the child acted, and from how the little fuck reacted to _them_ that whoever was hurting the child was _not_ one of them.

Xanxus wanted to rage that the Sky-fucker was _weak_ for allowing somebody to hurt one of his own, but Xanxus was _fucking Quality_ no matter how angry he was about the whole situation and his Rain had made him set back and reexamine what he was seeing.

What he was seeing wasn't right. It wasn't adding up.

Because someone was hurting the cow-child, yes, but the other shitty brats had fucking marks on them as well that were beginning to paint a _**very ugly picture**_ in Xanxus' head.

If what he thought was happening…was what was happening…Xanxus' intuition _**burned**_ in his head, bucking and writhing and _**angry**_.

He took a breath.

It would all come down to that little shit with Iemitsu's blood.

Everything Xanxus had seen had painted a picture for him and it would all come down to meeting this other Sky.

Tsunayoshi Sawada would be deciding the fate of himself and the shitty little fucks that were his Guardians this night even if he didn't know it.

(Seeing the fucker up close had only intensified the suspicions he had, and Xanxus realizes in that moment that- provided he is correct, and his Intuition is telling him that he is as well as all the evidence- as _horrid_ and _disgusting_ as Xanxus had known Iemitsu to be…that man- that _vermin_ \- was _**so much fucking worse**_.)

Xanxus lets nothing of his thoughts show on his face as red eyes meet gold. He would fight the little fucker and get a feel for him that way.

Hopefully the little fucker was different than his father. If he wasn't…well Xanxus had already planned to kill the little shit. If he was…and if Iemitsu turned out to be _**hurting**_ a baby Sky and that Sky's Guardians the way Xanxus thought was happening?

 _ **The man would die in much more pain that Xanxus had already planned.**_ (And Xanxus had had _years_ to plan already. He was sure the brat's Guardians would love to contribute if everything panned out that way.)

Gold eyes gleam and Tsuna isn't sure what it is, what is happening or _what_ had changed but his Intuition is- for the first time in longer than Tsuna can remember- fluttering with the stirrings of hope. Something on the playing field had shifted. Something had tilted and Tsuna knew he would have a _**chance.**_

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **This IS technically AU because Natsu hasn't reached this point yet, and this is just my thought on it soooooooooo. Don't expect this to be what happens. Natsu hun I hope you like it.**

 **4/29: Minor edits (thank you NightmareAx7)**


	2. Difference Between 2

**I am still playing in** _ **The Difference Between**_ **and it is still AU since Natsu hasn't hit this point yet. (I can't help myself.)**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Xanxus had never wanted to _kill_ somebody so much. He was an assassin- the _best of the best_ at it. It was his _job_ to want to kill people, and Xanxus had wanted to kill plenty of people. Iemitsu had stood _right there_ on the top of that list.

Finding out what _**that man**_ had done to a baby Sky- _his own son_ \- and that Sky's Guardians had catapulted him higher. Xanxus hadn't thought he could _hate_ somebody so completely until Iemitsu.

He certainly hadn't thought he could hate Iemitsu anymore completely than he already did anyway.

Every Element, including the Sky, _should_ get more protective when they had a child to look after whether that child was adopted or not. Vongola Skies were _especially_ supposed to be this way- not to say the other Elements weren't as dangerous or protective, but Vongola Skies were meant to lead the pack on the matter- and when the child was a baby _Sky_ it was even worse. Everything Iemitsu had done to his boy and his boy's Guardians went _against_ that instinct.

It was…unfathomable to Xanxus _how_ the bastard had managed it. Xanxus was a man who lived and breathed his instincts. They had saved his life more times than Xanxus knew how to count. It had been his instincts that had identified Iemitsu as a threat to begin with long before Iemitsu had tipped his hand in the matter.

That wasn't to say that Xanxus was feral or that he could not ignore his instincts…Xanxus just knew better than to try. He had honed them around an entire family full of the famous Hyper Intuition. His instincts were _damn good_.

The idea that a Sky- a Sky of Vongola blood no matter how undeserving the bastard was of it- could so completely go against his instincts that he would abuse and beat on baby Elements and a baby Sky under his protection was sickening.

And enraging.

Once Xanxus had _seen_ he could not _un-see_ it, and even if he could have Xanxus would never have done it.

The point was that Xanxus had found a baby Sky and baby Elements that were as close as he was to _his_ Pride. Except _this_ Pride was wounded and trapped and had gotten close the hard and dirty way that may as well have been a warfront.

It was no wonder why the brats had looked so worn and battle ready during the Ring Battles. No wonder why Xanxus had looked and seen a Cloud with his instincts belly-flopped on, a Sun standing battle-ready in front of an injured brood, Mists prowling so closely to their own, a Storm that had never stopped fighting, a child Lightning who had stepped up to a threat like Levi and been ready to strike him down, and a Rain that was ready to wash away the threats.

It was no wonder he had seen the Elements of Tsunayoshi's Sky stirred and raging.

They had been caged and trapped. They had been caged and trapped and _hurt_ and all the while it had been with one another they had been threatened.

Just the _idea_ of someone trying the same with Xanxus- and the idea that the Sky to try it would start off powerful enough to _manage it_ as had happened with these brats- was enough to get Xanxus' hackles up, and his Wrath bucking under his control in a preemptive strike against the threat.

Fighting the little shits had certainly upped the respect for them a bit. Even when the fucker had gotten the Sky Ring, Xanxus hadn't been as pissed as he _could have been_ since by that point he had been _sure_ the little fuck was nothing like the man to help birth him.

Xanxus hadn't been _happy_ about it exactly, but watching the man come raging in towards his son after the fight, the way the little fuck's Elements had all bristled, the way their Flames had all raged and the way Tsunayoshi's Sky Flames- so bright and large and wide- had _retreated_ into his core instinctively had been an eye-opening experience.

How _**bad**_ had the abuse been that a Sky as powerful as the little shit, as wide and accepting as Xanxus had been able to feel Tsunayoshi naturally _was_ during their fight, would _instinctively_ draw away and retreat from his own blood?

It had stirred protective instincts in Xanxus to be certain.

The moment Iemitsu had laid hands on the boy in his sight line though, Xanxus had made a choice.

Watching the boy's Elements react on his behalf…how _practiced and desperate_ the motions had been and how Iemitsu had attacked without regard for it, had only solidified his resolve.

Especially when the little fuck had reacted to his Elements' destress and been beaten down for it.

At that point it hadn't mattered that Tsunayoshi was that man's son, that he had technically beaten Xanxus in regards to the Ring his brother's should have had.

All Xanxus had seen- all his Pride had seen- was a trapped and caged Pride of _**cubs**_ being hurt and abused by the Alpha who _**should**_ have been watching over them.

It was natural then that Xanxus and _his_ Pride take the cubs into his own until they were strong enough to hunt at his side.

Somewhere inside Xanxus' instincts and intuition _purred_.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **This one didn't turn out the way I thought it would. I still like it, but this was not where it originally was meant to go. XDDD Natsu I hope I am still doing well here.**


	3. Difference Between 3

**Still sitting pretty in** _ **The Difference Between**_ **. SleepyMangaHead…this one is your fault from your review. Thank you.**

 **SkyGem- lovely lovely soul. I adore you as much as I do Natsu so seeing you review this is….Well. Thank you.**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

It had been months since Xanxus had taken in the cubs.

Xanxus had known going in that the moment his Pride had _cubs_ to look after their protective natures would get _**monstrous**_. He had known going in that he was a possessive fucker. He had _known_ going in that since the cubs had been so hurt it would be so much worse.

He had _known_ going in about all of the changes having cubs in his Pride would bring to himself _and_ his Elements.

Knowing and experiencing were two completely different things.

Especially since the brat Resonated and then Synchronized with Xanxus.

It made Xanxus miss his brothers. He had Resonated and Synchronized with his brothers. It was a phenomenon thought to be a myth by the Mafia it was so rare for two Skies to Resonate so well they Synchronized. Xanxus knew that 'myth' to be truth having Synchronized with his brothers before their death.

A Sky Harmonized with their Guardians and formed a soul deep connection. It allowed an 'awareness' of the Sky and the Elements no matter where they went. A Sky bonded with Elements would never be 'alone' again in the conventional sense and the reverse held true. An Element with a Sky would never feel alone again- always aware they had a home waiting for them to return.

If the bonds grew strong and deep enough eventually a Sky would be able to share Flames with their Elements. This strengthened the bond between Sky and Element to the point that they would be aware of changes in one another's Flames and through that change their emotional states. When the bond reached this state an Element could share their Flames with their Sky as well. Once the bond reached this state a Sky also allowed their Elements to 'sense' each other through the Sky and be aware of each other in a way most never truly were.

If Skies and their Elements were lucky they reached the second state in the bond. Most didn't manage a bond that close with their Elements instead forever remaining in the first level of a bond where the Sky was aware of their Elements and the Elements aware of their Sky.

If the bonds were _especially_ strong in a group the Elements would begin to 'feed' on each other's Flames just by being in one another's presence without any actual thought on their parts. It strengthened them and allowed the Elements to 'feed' off the other Elements rather than the Sky alone. It would be a constant state of Harmony among the group and an awareness of one another that had nothing to do with their bond with their Sky and everything to do with the bonds they had forged on their own. In this level of a bond the Elements of the Sky could Harmonize with their own Element and provide a pseudo-bond to that Element's Sky. It was an odd happening that no one had explained, but it was something that happened. At this point it would be uncomfortable for any of the group to take extended stays away from the group and the group would be more aware of any fluctuations in the others' Flames.

The third level of the bond was _rare_. Truly Harmonized groups were the only ones that tended to reach that level of bond and were _**dangerous**_ because of it as they moved as one being. Xanxus had reached this level with his Elements. Tsuna had reached it as well.

The two Skies had Synchronized.

Resonating Skies were Skies that matched well enough it was like having that Second level of awareness with each other.

 _Synchronized_ Skies were another story. They were Skies that matched so well they may as well have been 'One Sky.' It was like the third level of the bonds between an Element and Sky except between Skies. It also had the effect of making both Skies aware of the other's Elements. It created a sort of pseudo-bond between them.

Having Synchronized with the Sky-cub had made Xanxus _**even worse**_ than he had thought he would be.

Months in and Xanxus was still sometimes surprised at how well the Cubs meshed with the rest of his Pride. It was…strange. He knew that Elements in Synched Skies got along more easily than other Elements would, but even that didn't account for how well the Elements got along. (Despite the property damage saying otherwise.)

Months into having the cubs running around and learning beside his Pride, months of watching the cubs grow and flourish under his Pride and it suddenly hits Xanxus.

He'd been watching Tsuna with his Elements, head thrown back with a laugh as he patiently ran through the Flame control exercises Xanxus had given him alongside his Elements, when the thought hits him.

 _His brothers would have loved Tsuna._

Bright happy orange gleaming eyes turn to stare at Xanxus as Tsuna feels the older Sky's Flames flutter and twitch.

Xanxus stares at the cubs on the lawn and blinks.

They would have, Xanxus knows. They would have loved the cubs.

If they had known back then what Iemitsu had been doing to the Sky-cub and his Guardians…no force on Earth would have stopped them from raging in to take the cubs away.

Xanxus spares a moment to wonder what that would have been like. What might have happened with Xanxus and Tsuna standing with his three brothers. Because Xanxus has no doubt that the Sky-cub would have Synchronized with his brothers.

What could have been with five Synchronized Skies standing at the helm of Vongola.

After a moment Xanxus shakes the thought away and stands to stalk over to the cubs and expand on their control exercises. He wasn't the kind of man for 'what if' he was a man of 'now' a man of action.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

 **This one sort of…ran away from me. Hibari-Muse took the reins and RAN with them.**


	4. Tell Her That He's Dead

**This one takes place way after** _ **Tell Her That He's Dead**_ **ends and is- as always- AU.** Character Death **. (A lot of it. I had a thought I enjoyed and for all the death it IS a kind of happy ending. Sort of. Eventually.)**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Massimo was late.

It was making Tsuna, Enrico, Xanxus and Federico uncomfortable. Especially since their combined Instincts were twisting and echoing off each other. They were in the dining room- the smaller one meant for family. They were drawn to each other as their Instincts twisted and snarled and tried to tell them something.

It didn't help that they could feel through the bond that Massimo's Intuition was twisting and writhing as well.

"Xanxus?" Tsuna's voice was soft and frightened as his eyes moved to his Papas.

It made the three other Skies in the room bristle protectively. Their littlest should not sound frightened. (Even if he had grown magnificently into his own and was in fact no longer _little_. The brothers would always remember the dirty little four year old left in the park staring up at them with bright orange eyes.)

There was no warning. Not really. All they were aware of was the way their Intuition _lurched_ suddenly and as one being. They shuddered and then their heads snapped up as Massimo's Flames suddenly flared in alarmed defense.

He had his Cloud with him, but something had obviously gone wrong. They could feel that their Massimo was in the middle of a fight. His Flames were strong and determined and angry as he fought.

Xanxus, Tsuna, Federico, and Enrico all gathered close together as they focused on the bond they shared with Massimo as Synchronized Skies. Massimo was too far for them to be of any assistance backup so they were made to wait and hope.

It the end…

In the end Massimo had reached over the bond he shared with the other Skies shoving a portion of his Flames their way along with the warm feeling of _loveMINElovelovesorryMINE_.

The brothers drew back sharply as horrified understanding dawned (they had felt when Massimo's Cloud fell before her Sky- she had bought her Sky time to communicate that burst of feeling and Flames to his family) before they felt as Massimo drew in the rest of his Flames and _lashed out_.

Tsuna screamed, Xanxus dropped like a puppet with his strings cut, and Federico and Enrico cried out when they felt the severing of Massimo's bond.

It lashed across their bond, the entire net of interconnected Flames and souls from the other Skies to all the Skies' Elements shuddering as a part of it- of them- was cut away forcefully. It was agony without words. They could feel through the bonds they shared with Massimo's Guardians as the Elements became aware of their Sky's death, as they instinctively reached for something that was no longer there.

They could hear the screams and denials echoing through the mansion.

The only thing to hold the Elements steady, the only solid thing the Elements who had just lost their Cloud and their Sky in one fell swoop were able to grasp to was the bonds they shared with the other Skies.

Synchronized Skies- properly Synchronized Skies as the brothers and Tsuna had been and still were- were so closely bonded that they were truly 'One Sky'. This meant that for each Sky in the set another set of Elements were added to the connection. The Elements were not just connected to _one_ of the Skies but _all_ of them. There was an 'echo' of Massimo in their bond, and with the other four Skies there Massimo's Elements would be able to function despite the loss of Massimo.

An Element losing their Sky was poison. It would drive them mad with a lack of Harmony and home. They would eventually snap if they didn't do so immediately. The largest of issues in the Mafia had mostly been caused by an Element or Elements that lost their Sky. The longer they went without their Sky the worse the 'poison' would be, and the worse the blow-out would become.

As Elements in a properly Synchronized Sky set Massimo's Elements would avoid this fate. It would still hurt, it would still be a sort of agony, but they would retain their sanity. The other Skies would act like a lance for the poison, draining it away. The 'wound' would not heal, but it would not fester and rot in the care of the other Skies.

It took a few moments for the Skies to pull themselves together. Once they managed that grief fueled rage lashed through the room as their Flames swelled into visibility and they drew close to one another in an attempt to help each other and an irrational fear that one of the others would slip away if out of sight.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Massimo's Elements last long enough to raze the cause of their Sky and Cloud's deaths to the ground. The last long enough to help make sure the others would survive on after them. They lasted long enough for the waves Vongola made as they raged across the Mafia in search of those who had taken one of _theirs_ to die down.

After that they had gone to each of their Family members and shared goodbyes. They wanted to be with their Sky, who had Called them into the fold. They loved their Family- of course they did- but it _**hurt**_ to continue on despite the support and love the others offered them.

It was time to follow a long-standing Tradition of Vongola and join their Sky.

"We will wait for you"

It was the last thing the Elements of Massimo told their Family before they left them.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

It is years before another incident happens.

Many years before Intuition acts up and twists in their chests again.

Tsuna is out on a mission with Enrico when his Intuition lurches and twists in his chest. Xanxus is home, lounging in his throne and Federico is in the kitchens of the mansion sneaking out with some of the crepes he loves.

All four of them recognize the way their Intuition is lurching and twisting.

Xanxus sits up from his throne, utterly still and angry in a way that has his boys tensing in preparation for a fight.

Federico drops his crepes and _runs_ for Xanxus. His brother is the only one in arms reach so he goes to him and _prays_ he is wrong.

Enrico and Tsuna have closed the distance between them in preparation for whatever comes their way.

It turns out to be a _carefully_ laid trap- this mission the two Skies have taken. It had been too important for anyone else to take. Tsuna had been meant to go alone, but Enrico had had a bad feeling about it. The others had been aware of it through their bonds and so Enrico had joined him.

In the end it is the only reason Tsuna gets out alive.

Enrico does not.

Back at the mansion Xanxus snarls loud and long and _pained_ as Federico cries out in denial.

Tsuna snaps.

In his rage, no one escapes him. He scorches the earth around him as he hunts down those that would try and escape. (Enrico had gotten in the way of a _sniper_. He'd taken a bullet meant for Tsuna's brain right into his heart. Tsuna had _held his Papa_ when he died. He'd been covered in blood and Enrico had smiled at him warm and tender and loving and asked him to _live_.)

When it's over Tsuna is crying even as he is covered in ash and dust and blood. There are tear tracks carving paths through his morbid war paint on his face. There are no bodies around him for all the number of people that had been there. Tsuna hadn't had it in him to hold back.

His Papa was _gone_. There was a _**hole**_ where he should be in Tsuna's mind and _**it was their fault**_.

Enrico had only had a Sun and Cloud left in his Element set at this point, but Tsuna could feel their rage and pain mixing with his and Federico's and Xanxus' and their Elements. It made everything worse as their combined feelings fed and echoed and resonated with each other.

Tsuna curled over Enrico's body and wept in the ashes of those who had killed his family.

When he managed to pull himself together, it was only to bring Enrico's body with him as he returned to his family.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

By the time he returned Enrico's Cloud was dead, and his Sun was close behind only holding on long enough to lay Enrico to rest and press a kiss to Tsuna's forehead and whisper "It was not your fault Little Lion." (The Cloud had left a note saying much the same thing mentioning that Enrico would have preferred to go this way- protecting his precious boy.)

The family mourned.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

There was no warning when the next death hit, ten years after Enrico.

The Vongola had been at war. The three remaining Skies had had their Intuition in knots for ages at this point. Something was _always_ wrong. Something was _always_ tugging at their Instincts.

So while they had _known_ death was possible, there had been no true warning of the next death as there had been for the previous two. Just the knowledge that it was possible and a writhing Intuition in their breasts.

Maybe Tsuna had known. The boy had gone to Xanxus and Federico sharing his Flames excessively and whispering affections and promises.

( _I will see you again. I will wait for you. I swear it on our Flames._ )

The two brothers had returned the affection. Of course they had- they were at war and Tsuna had been prone to this over the course of it. Tsuna had talked them into a Puppy Pile (Tsuna's words) the night before. Federico had his Rain, Storm and Lightning left of his original Elements. Tsuna and Xanxus had managed to keep their full set thankfully- Tsuna only because Federico's Cloud had gone down in a blaze of glory protecting a downed Tsuna, Takeshi and Lambo before Xanxus had raged in to help- so all the Elements and Skies were present in the Pile.

It was a warm night for all the cool weather as the group basked in each other's presence, sharing Flames and whispered words.

The next morning the three Skies had had to split up and deal with a three-way attack on their Family.

Tsuna had gone down.

Tsuna's Guardians had _**raged**_ across the battle field and gone down shortly afterwards as the enemies converged on their position in an attempt to take them down.

Kyoya had been the last to fall, blood dripping from a bloodied bloodthirsty grin, his arm sticking straight through the leader's chest despite the sword plunged into his stomach.

Tsuna's Elements had been the ones to _end_ the war, their rage taking them across the battlefield as they carved bloodied swathes through their enemies.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

The loss was felt by Xanxus and Federico across their bonds.

They almost didn't recover from that loss.

An entire set ripped away from them. Their littlest just _gone_ and his Elements on his heels was almost too much.

The only thing that kept them together was each other.

Each other and the letter Tsuna had left behind.

It was like he had _known_. (Tsuna's Intuition had always been the strongest between them. They had even _seen_ him writing the letter three days before though they hadn't know what it was at the time.)

It was a letter they used to bolster themselves and hold the family together. They clung to the promises in the letter.

( _I will wait for you if I should die before you. I will wait wherever I go- I swear it on our Flames. I love you_ )

They staggered on.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

It was a wound cleaved into their Souls the missing pieces of their bond. If they focused hard enough they could almost feel the echoes of Enrico, Massimo, Tsuna and their Elements.

In their darkest times it was those echoes that kept them going.

But it was a soul deep agony where those who had passed should be. An agony that never truly _faded_ from its initial pain. It was only something they learned to function with. It never dulled, never went away. The wound was only cleaved deeper and deeper with each death.

A throbbing pain that Xanxus and Federico lived with every day.

So many had gone.

It was agony.

They soldiered on.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Federico passed away next. His Elements had already passed before him.

Xanxus was left alone.

The last of five Synchronized Skies.

He had thought he'd be one of the first to go.

He broke that night.

Federico had passed in his sleep. There wasn't even anything for Xanxus to _**rage**_ at and somehow that was worse. (Federico would have wanted to go out fighting.)

He broke that night, deep in his room with as little light as he could manage. Not a sound escaped his lips. He was past the point of screaming. His tears were silent and agonized.

 _He was alone._

 _ **They weren't supposed to leave him alone**_.

 _What was he going to do now?_

He'd destroyed four entire wings ( _Not his brothers'_ ) before retreating to his room. He doesn't react as his Elements all trickle into the room and place themselves around him.

He can feel the gaping holes where his family had once been. There are echoes of the people where each had filled the holes, but it's not the same.

Xanxus feels _cold_.

 _ **He hates the cold**_.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

It was _so close_.

Xanxus had been _so close_ to just saying 'Fuck it' and joining his family by his own hand.

The only thing to still his hands from that course was his own stubborn will (His brothers would be disappointed if he did that) and the knowledge that his brothers had all died for Vongola.

They had died for this family.

Xanxus would be _sure_ it would flourish _**long**_ after he was gone for them. He would be sure the Vongola was strong _long_ after the brothers had stood at its helm.

They loved the Vongola. They loved the Family.

Xanxus would leave the world with the knowledge their Family would flourish for _centuries_ after their rule.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Xanxus passes away with a smirk on his face and Flame in his heart. His Elements had gone before him, but Xanxus had gone soon after in defense of the next generation.

It was a good way to go.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

When Xanxus opens his eye, he almost falls to his knees.

His family is there.

 _All of them_.

They had _waited for him._

"Xanxus!" Tsuna's smile is bright as his little brother steps forward to meet him, a hand extended and his eyes warm.

Xanxus soul snaps into place and the bond he had shared for so many, many long years before the first of them- Massimo- had fallen blazes back to life.

Xanxus staggers, but Tsuna is there warm and _whole_ and happy as he catches his big brother and drags him into the center of the group that was waiting for him.

"We've been here for _ages_ " Tsuna tells him. "Time is weird here. It passes quicker than in the Living World. Massimo and Enrico were waiting for me when I came though. Their Elements were with them so at least they weren't lonely."

It hits Xanxus then that _**his entire Pride was here.**_

 _ **His Pride was whole and strong and together again.**_

Tsuna stills as if he knows Xanxus needs a moment.

"I did the same thing" he murmurs to Xanxus "I kinda broke down if we're gonna be honest."

Tsuna pulls him the rest of the way into the group- _his Pride_ \- and Xanxus sags into the many hands reaching to great him.

" _You_ _ **motherfuckers**_ _."_ He growls after a moment " _You_ _ **left**_ _me."_

And it hits Xanxus again that he had been the last one standing. He had been alone and _cold_ without the fires of his brothers in his Soul. He'd almost forgotten what warmth actually _felt like_ it had been so long.

And if his voice breaks a little, and his hands shake well that's _his business_ and no one dares to say anything as they all gather around Xanxus and exchange apologies and let the man punch them for leaving him alone.

"We won't leave you alone again." Tsuna promises from the center of the large group. "Wherever we go- whatever happens after we walk through those Gates" he nods at the large marble gates behind them "we will go _together_. Together or not at all" Tsuna grins and his eyes gleam that bright fire-orange as he promises once again- his promise echoed together in the many voices of Xanxus' Pride who had all waited to move on until they were together:

" _ **I swear it on our Flames"**_

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **Uh….I don't know what happened. I just had this image of the whole Pride waiting before the Gates for the whole set to be there before moving on. It was happy in my head…?**

 **Natsu! How'd I do?**

 **Oh! Traditions by SkyGem was sorta-kinda referenced in here near the beginning. Or well. I implied. Hope it's alright Sky.**


	5. Tell Her That He's Dead 2

**This one takes place in** _ **Tell Her That He's Dead.**_ **Way later. Like. Probably after it ends I guess?**

 **But it's AU from Natsu's (I like writing for things that haven't happened yet. XDD) and DOES contain an OC Cloud with romantic relationships. (I needed her for this this to work sooooooooooo) It IS a one shot and I don't cover a lot of her backstory. I just wanted to see the Pride in this situation, and I didn't want to take the 'died in childbirth' route.**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Valkyrie was an Inverted Cloud. She had started out as a member of Housekeeping for the Vongola _and_ the Varia. Most members of Housekeeping picked one or the other in regards to caring for the home and stuck to it.

The grounds were _huge_ \- were in fact registered as a 'reserve' owned between the five Skies heading the Vongola- due to the fact that five Synched Skies called them home. It allowed the five of them to have their own mansions and space while also being in the same territory and close to each other.

Housekeeping was usually divided between the five homes and stayed at their assigned home.

Valkyrie hadn't.

She traveled between the homes and made sure to tend to her greenhouses and gardens. There were the public gardens, which contained beautiful plant life- both mundane and exotic- and were open to all that visited the mansions. Then she had the greenhouses which were large and secured with many, many security checks both visible and not located at the center of the five mansions. She dealt with the Medical Greenhouse which contained anything the Infirmary or a Sun may need in regards to healing as well as the Assassin's Greenhouse (a Varia favorite) which was more for poisons and different painful ways to die. The last greenhouse Valkyrie dealt with was _her_ favorite simply referred to as the Crossbreeds Greenhouse. That one was for experimenting with the plants and creating new and improved plant life for all the others- from the gardens to the greenhouses.

They were _hers_ and she loved what she did and she did it well.

She met Xanxus officially when he came to her for more of one of her Crossbreeds projects destined for the Assassin's Greenhouse. He had been running field tests and it had apparently preformed beautifully.

Val had been happy to hand more over explaining as she went through the Crossbreeds Greenhouse about some of her other projects when she caught him staring too long at any of them.

It had been the start of a wonderful working relationship.

And then she had gotten into a fight with the Varia Storm when Belphegor had tried getting into her Greenhouses while she was not there and without her permission.

She…hadn't taken kindly to someone intruding on what she saw as _her_ territory _especially_ before he had learned her rules.

All of which had very valid very _important_ reasons for them ranging from the care of the plants to the Crossbreeds she had raised with a cocktail of Mist, Storm, Cloud and Sun Flames that guarded all her Greenhouses and would _eat_ anyone caught intruding inside without Valkyrie's Flame Signature clinging to them to act like a sort of 'guest pass'.

It had, of course, erupted into a fight.

A Cloud having her territory entered without permission where her rules were broken especially the one meant to keep the others _alive_ about entering without her giving the 'okay', mixed with a determined Storm used to being treated as 'royalty' or a commanding officer being forbidden to do something by a _'common gardener_ ' was a recipe for destruction.

She had punted the little brat across the grounds and away from her Greenhouses before the fight broke out. It had been a _huge_ amount of property damage and it didn't stop until Valkyrie (bleeding in a quite few places with more bruises then she was comfortable with, a few cracked or bruised ribs as well as a knife still lodged in her shoulder) had managed to pin the boy beneath her. Belphegor for his part (mostly _painfully_ bruised except for the one cut across his cheek that he had received near the beginning of the fight which had triggered one of his rages and a matching cracked rib) found himself impressed and tired.

The Cloud had worked him out until he had tired enough for the blood-rage from the sight of his own blood to retreat _and_ she'd managed to survive it with nothing but bruises and a few injuries. He had known she constantly fought against Varia members to stay sharp but he hadn't thought she'd be able to stand against an Officer. But here they were, her eyes gleaming purple as she pinned him and kept him there using her Flames ability to up her strength.

From that point on Valkyrie received visits from the Varia or was summoned to their mansion often and found herself drifting closer and closer to them, enjoying the challenge and the work they offered her both mental and physical. She ended up interacting with all the brothers thanks to this and enjoyed it. It was soothing to her.

It _was_ a surprise the day she Harmonized with Xanxus however and became the Cloud Guardian he was missing. And _gods_ she had known he was a Synched Sky but she hadn't _understood_ what it would mean to be a part of that giant web of soul deep connections.

She'd learned though and found herself with the family she had always wanted.

Years later and here she was.

Staring down at her belly and so very shocked. Her Flames swelled and swirled in her soul rising protectively at what she had just realized- what she had just confirmed.

She leaned back against the wall as she stared. She hadn't thought….but…well.

Her hand pressed to her stomach softly before she burned the evidence and whirled around to find her Sky.

He would know long before she found him that something had happened from the way her Flames were swirling threateningly inside, ready to lash out at any threat. The entire family would know- would feel- that something had happened through their bonds.

It was close to dinner thankfully so she'd be able to tell the family all at once.

Her lips pulled up into a smile as she approached the doors to the dining room. Sure enough most everyone was present when she entered. It was tradition for the family to eat at least dinner together, so if she waited a few moments everyone would eventually trickle in.

All eyes turned to her when she entered, and Val couldn't blame them. Her Flames were swirling and twisting and they could feel it, but this was important news and she wanted to share it with everyone. From the look on the five Skies faces they already knew it was going to big whatever she said. She sat down two seats to the left of her Sky. Squalo would sit next to her when he eventually came in.

It took a few moments more but as the clock struck the hour the last of their group trailed in, each of them turning their eyes to her as they moved to their seats. Their food was brought out and started on (after checking it) before Enrico spoke from his place at the head of the table.

"Valkyrie." she turned to him having expected the question he was about to ask "What happened? We all felt your Flames spike earlier. They're still spiking even now." His eyes were gleaming a subtle orange as he asked and Valkyrie smiled.

She turned her eyes to her Sky who was staring at her and spoke softly. "I found out we will have a cub running around the mansion soon."

For an instant, every Flame in the room went still and Valkyrie could see Xanxus' eyes widen a fraction. Then the Flames surged from all around her, bright and strong and fiercely protective.

It was an instinctive thing- when Flame Actives knew a child was on the way- or when a child was taken in- their Flame output doubled at the very least. Every instinct they had would shift to 'defensive protective' as they shielded the little one and 'fed' them a steady stream of Flames. Even in the womb they would learn to identify the Flames around him or her, to identify safety. To recognize Pride. It would also help Valkyrie. Being the child of two _strong_ Flame Actives the child would likely be born as such and so would 'feed' on her Flames. Having such a large well connected and trusted Pride around her willing to share their Flames would keep her from being too exhausted.

Xanxus stood from his seat and walked to her side, kneeling on the floor in front of her seat where he lifted his hands to press them into her stomach. "A cub…" his voice was soft, but rumbling almost like a purr. "Our cub."

The grin that pulled up his lips was _fierce_ and possessive, was strong and protective. Another second passed before the Pride erupted into movement and noise, voices layering over one another as they all tried to be heard at once, hands darting through the air and one or two making aborted movements to rush to her side.

Enrico was the first to approach after Xanxus, his hands gripping Valkyrie's shoulders and his grin wide and joyful. "Congratulations Val."

The other brothers were quick to approach and offer their own congratulations to her before offering the same to Xanxus who was still knelt beside her. Tsuna was happily babbling about no longer being the youngest and Valkyrie grinned at him.

He'd understand soon enough- once he was an 'older brother' figure to a little one he'd come to understand the protective instincts that come with it. The unrelenting urge to teach and protect the younger.

O~O~O~

The first time Valkyrie feels the little one _move_ she freezes and her hands fly to her stomach. It sets off Xanxus and Tsuna who had been in the room with her at the time, instantly flying to her side and asking about what happened even as they instinctively search the area for threats and move to place themselves between the door and windows respectively.

She had jerked her hands up and grabbed a wrist each, pulling their hands to her belly and waiting. She holds her breath for a moment before—

There!

Her eyes fly to Xanxus and then Tsuna who are both frozen and staring at her stomach with widened eyes.

Valkyrie laughs.

O~O~O~

Cravings were a _bitch_.

And on that note: Lussuria and Tsuna were a _godsend_. Valkyrie (and by extension everyone else- it had only taken _one_ Cloud fueled Craving Rage when she couldn't find what she wanted and Tsuna went out and _made_ it for the worshiping to start.) almost worshiped those boys for their abilities in the kitchen.

No matter the hour they were able and willing to make her whatever she wanted.

(The Pride was especially prickly about anyone that was not one of theirs making Val her food while she was with child just in case someone tried to poison or otherwise harm her or the child. Valkyrie as an equally paranoid person was perfectly willing to follow that rule. It helped that the two cooking for her were Gods of Food in their own rights.)

(And if the Varia grunts had a little shrine dedicated to the two men's ability to cook and please the pregnant Cloud, well even some of the Officers secretly visited it)

O~O~O~

Valkyrie was glad for Lussuria's Scrapbooking habit.

When the mood-swings took a downswing and she was left upset or angry and nothing truly worked to calm her, Val would go find the Scrapbook Luss had dedicated to her pregnancy and flip through the pages.

It never failed to cheer her up as she flipped through the pages of reactions and milestones to her state. She wasn't sure _how_ the man was getting most of the pictures, but she wasn't complaining. (She suspected the Sun had gotten Housekeeping to help gather the pictures- especially since some of the pictures had Luss in them as well.)

And when she got to the end and saw all the empty pages waiting to be filled, she couldn't help the grin.

O~O~O~

Valkyrie had never _seen_ such orderly panic.

And no matter _what_ they would say later, Val could feel their Flames around her as well as the connections they all shared as members of Synched Skies, and knew they were _**all**_ panicking.

(Later on, Val would go back to the Scrapbook and find pictures of this moment. She would then go out of her way to find out who had taken them (a woman from Housekeeping who had once been a part of the Varia Rain squad) and reward the woman with her pick of personal plant from her Crossbreed's Greenhouse- a very sought after thing.)

Her water had broken, contractions were starting and her family was panicking even as they scrambled to 'battle stations.'

(Valkyrie had _laughed_ when she found out from Housekeeping that Enrico had a 'battle plan' for the moment she went into labor and had made sure to _practice it_ with everyone but herself. He even referred to the various roles of the family as 'battle stations' which he had made sure to yell when they realized she was going into labor. There were pictures of this as well- and Valkyrie swore to herself that she would be sure to get them into the Scrapbook as soon as she was able.)

She growled as another contraction hit her, gripping the nearest hand. (It turned out to be Lussuria that suffered her crushing grip- which was good as he could heal his own broken bones.)

She was an assassin, a mafia woman. She knew pain. That didn't mean she wasn't prepared for the pain of childbirth. None of the things that were hurting had hurt like this before. It was new and she didn't know how to brace for it beyond technical knowledge which didn't do much good when it came to the actual pain.

She pulled in a breath and cursed.

Lussuria picked her up and headed for the infirmary. He would be the one to help her through the labor and deliver the little one, seeing as the entire family (all five skies, their guardians _and_ Valkyrie herself) didn't trust anyone else to handle the cub, or Valkyrie in their soon to be vulnerable states.

She could feel the resulting flare of Sky Flames as the five Skies all moved to shield all the entrance points and the other Guardians (excluding the Suns who were all inside the room helping Lussuria) spread out and their Flames flared as a warning to anyone who may have thought to approach.

No one was allowed near the room as the hours passed.

O~O~O~

Labor was _not_ fun. Once she got into the swing of it, Val had a better time dealing with the contractions and such, but she was not a fan of the _**22 hours**_ it took to even be ready to _have_ the child.

She snarled when she pushed the first time. She moaned when the little one crowned. She screamed when she had to deal with shoulders.

 _Holy Fuck_ she was not prepared for _that_.

She leaned back and went limp against the bed. Lussuria cooed at her, offering encouragement even as he helped to guide the little one into the world. The other Suns offered the same as they moved to their assigned tasks.

She took a breath and continued.

(She could feel the way Xanxus' Flames surged and surged in time with the noises she made and she knew he was _**not**_ happy to hear any noise of pain from her even though he was outside the room. The other Skies weren't too thrilled themselves.)

O~O~O~

Valkyrie was panting and sweaty in a way she almost never was. A Cloud had _issues_ exhausting themselves with the attribute of their Flame, but she was tired. And sore.

But as she cradled the little girl with Xanxus' eyes and nose and with her hair, and jawline Valkyrie was sure every moment of it was worth it. Her Flames flared protectively instinctively even as Lussuria fluttered around the two of them and Ryohei moved to the door to bring Xanxus inside.

Valkyrie ignored the camera going off (she knew it was Enrico's Sun taking Scrapbook pictures now that the two of them were mostly cleaned up and Valkyrie _wanted_ those pictures) as Xanxus strode inside the room powerfully. She looked up and grinned at Xanxus as he paused when his eyes focused on the pale orange blanket in her arms. (It would have been dark orange-red for a boy.)

"A girl?" he asked and Valkyrie nodded even as she fought back the urge to laugh. She could already hear the protectiveness in his voice- and while she knew it would be there for a male as well, she was amused by how it would manifest with a little girl.

"Yes" she agreed tiredly offering their child to her father.

The whole room stilled and turned to face Xanxus as his Sky Flames _flared_ and curled possessively and protectively over the little life he cradled to his chest for the first time. Valkyrie smiled wide and open at sight of it.

She knew this little one would be so, _so_ cherished and protected by her family.

She couldn't wait for all the Scrapbook moments to come.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **Did NOT turn out the way I thought it would, but I like it. Hopefully you all do as well. So Natsu? What do you think of my glimpse into the future here?**


	6. Appreciate the Little Things'

**When Natsu gave me a list of Summary Prompts this one (** _Tsuna split his training between the Ninth generation, the CEDEF, the Arcobaleno, and of course the Varia. Everyone but his Guardians fretted over his time spent with the Varia; and only the guardians would ever know why the worry was misplaced_ **) became an 'Appreciate the Little Things' drabble (so it's really REALLY short)**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

When Tsuna walks into the mansion after spending the day with Xanxus, everyone in the mansion stills.

Heads turn towards the door, eyes are wide, and in one case the smirk is bloodthirsty.

They had never felt their Sky so in tune with _himself_ before. His Flames surge through the house, steady and healthy and _strong_ in a way that hadn't realized was even missing to begin with. When the Elements find their Sky- instinctively pulled to his side by his Flames and the feelings loaded into them- he is loose and ready, his eyes are sharp and alert.

There is no stress in the line of his shoulders and his back is not tense.

They are shocked at the difference.

When they ask their Sky what had happened, Tsuna only smiles, warm and accepting and somehow dangerous (like an alpha predator grinning at its Pride- dangerous and strong and deadly but welcoming and loving to its own) and purrs the words "Xanxus opened my eyes to what I was missing."

The thrum of his Flames was strong and steady and clear. It was focused and powerful and calm. Each of the Guardians finds their Flames and bodies reacting to the state of their Sky: relaxing and calming, their breathing slowing instinctively to match the breaths of their Sky while their Flames smooth out and slow to match each pulse and swell of Harmony.

Tsuna can feel it as each of His Own settle to match him in breath and Flame. As each member of his family settles in tune with him Tsuna's instincts and Flames purr a bit louder.

Even if every person in Italy had chosen to make fun of him for choosing to meditate from that day on, had chosen to fight him about the choice, Tsuna wouldn't have cared. This feeling- the feeling of complete Harmony in the air, the feel of his own Flames stretching out and swirling around the mansion, and the feeling of each of his Pride's Flames reaching back, stretching to meet him…the feel of stale Flames being purified from the air- would have made everything worth it.

This sense of peace with _himself_ would have made it worth it.

O~O~O~

The Guardians are treated to the sight of their Sky completely relaxing into himself and his Flames for the first time.

For that alone, they decide they owe Xanxus.

The man wouldn't accept it in any conventional ways of course- family was _meant_ to help each other- but the Guardians would be creative about it, offering their thanks in various wordless ways that Xanxus would appreciate.


	7. The Difference Between 4

**An AU future-shot in** _ **The Difference Between**_ **. Nat-su hasn't hit this point yet.**

 **A family member died recently, so I haven't been doing much writing or responding to PMs recently. It's been more burying myself in the works of others honestly.**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Tsuna leaned back against the bark of the tree behind him, keeping his breathing controlled for all that he wanted to gasp for air.

His hands shook just the slightest bit, but his eyes shined orange and unwavering as he stared into the night. He had suppressed his Flame into the barest of flickers in his core in order to keep off the radar of any Flame Sensitives in the forest.

He'd been here for three days and it showed. His body was covered in dirt and leaves, twigs and scrapes. He refused to waver though. This Famiglia had taken him from his territory, had aimed for _him_ to get to Xanxus. They had thought him to be the weak link in his Pride, and Tsuna would take _ruthless advantage_ of it.

His time with Iemitsu had taught him to take every bit of slack he could manage. Had taught him ruthlessness, taught him rage, taught him to be invisible.

He'd been taken three days ago, spirited away unconscious and injured, but the moment he had woken and realized what had happened…

All bets were off.

He would _**not**_ be used against his Pride, against the Sky who had given him freedom and safety. He would _**not**_ be the cage to those he cared about again. He could not.

So he had gotten up, he had been _**vicious**_ and unrelenting, he had fought his way out of the base and found himself with acres upon acres of forest and a base of enemies at his back.

He blessed Xanxus for teaching him the Varia Quality version of Hostile Forest Survival as he had run into the cover, every bit of his training coming to the forefront as he slipped into shadows.

O~O~O~

Xanxus had been pacing for the last ten minutes. His Intuition has been restless, and he could feel through their bond that Tsunayoshi sensed something coming as well. The two Skies hyperaware states, their tenseness, meant their Elements were just as edgy as they were, that they had all prepped their weapons and were just waiting for the signal from their Skies.

The only comfort Xanxus had was the knowledge that Tsuna was not alone, that his Rain was there with him. Their intuition had been collectively going off since the early hours of this morning. It was no surprise that Tsuna had chosen to pace and patrol their territory. Xanxus had allowed it, unwilling- no matter that he never said as much- to cage Tsuna the way the shithead Iemitsu had done. The fact that he could _feel_ how important Tsuna's intuition felt the course of action to be only helped.

Xanxus had sent the Sky-cub out with his Rain and kept their bond wide open to monitor his progress.

So, he sensed Tsuna's shock, and he could feel the beginnings of anger from Takeshi, right before he felt the two brats' Flames flare to life for combat. He was already moving as they began to fight, the Elements in the mansion mobilizing at the same moment thanks to the multilayered bonds they all shared letting them know the situation had gotten serious.

They all piled into a car, trusting their own to handle the situation until they arrived, but the ride over was tense and their Flames were thick in the air as they felt the fight Tsuna and Takeshi were engaged in escalate.

They were aware of the moment _something_ went wrong, when Takeshi's bond to them flared with shock, and Tsuna's with rage at the same moment his Intuition _twisted_.

A few moments later, the road they were driving on shuddered with the force of an explosion, fire shooting into the air ahead of them.

Tsuna's bond filled with determination, and Takeshi's with enraged resolve.

Later, after the mess was dealt with and they could get explanations, they would be told that the explosion was an apartment building. It was a small, but Tsuna had still heard the screams of the inhabitants. It was a scare tactic and proof of the explosives presence on the street. Tsuna and Takeshi weren't supposed to know _where_ the bombs were located, but Tsuna's intuition had acted up. They would be told that Tsuna had just _known_ what was coming next if the enemy got to the trigger for the next set of explosions as his Intuition writhed in his head. Takeshi would explain how Tsuna had snapped a command to him to ' _Hold the line. Do not let them pass that point. They're aiming for the orphanage.'_

They would be told how Takeshi had faced the enemy, an enraged snarl on his face and resolve burning in his chest while Tsuna ran for the orphanage. Tsuna had immediately had the Matron and her assistants evacuating the children, escorting them out the back and away from the crossfire.

After that first explosion Xanxus had opened the door to the car, flipping himself to the roof even as Squalo reached over and shut the door behind his boss. Once he was on the roof, Xanxus had fired up his guns, taking to the air and flying towards his brats.

He wouldn't make it before Takeshi's bond flared with pain and then horror, before Tsuna's flared with resolve.

And then a second explosion shook the earth, bigger than the last, and Tsuna's bond was filled with a sharp agony quickly followed by unconsciousness.

Xanxus was still a few minutes out when Takeshi's bond was flooded with enraged horror.

 _That_ , the Pride would come to learn, was the moment the enemy took the unconscious Tsunayoshi from the area.

 _That_ was the moment that Takeshi's Flames _**flooded**_ the City sharp with his rage, not a gentle rain meant to soothe, but a monsoon intent on complete annihilation.

O~O~O~

Tsuna crouched in the branches of a tree, utterly still and letting the leaves hide him from view even as he tracked the hunting party sent out after him. He allowed the entire party to pass under his tree, and carefully followed after them in the treetops, his every movement silent and calculated.

He waited until they found some of the false trails he had left on the ground, waited for them to split up to follow them, and then began the first of his moves.

He went after the lone ones first.

The first of them walked under his perch, and Tsuna allowed his body to fall back, his knees hooked over the branch, his hand holding a sharpened piece of wood. The man beneath him startled backwards, his neck exposed for an instant as his head jerked away from Tsuna's face. That instant was all Tsuna needed as the makeshift stake-dagger slid into and through his neck, the only noise being a faint gurgle as the man died.

He wouldn't use his Flames here, he knew the place was rigged with sensors that would act like a homing beacon, allowing the others to track him if he wavered in his concentration for even an instant.

He pulled himself back up into the tree, headed for the next of his targets, easily falling into the quiet place Xanxus and the Varia had helped him develop so he could kill when he needed to.

O~O~O~

The second man was crouched under Tsuna's perch, examining part of his trail. Tsuna was still as he watched waiting. The burns on his back from the explosion of the Orphanage throbbed. He tried not to think about the wound in his side, where shrapnel had torn into him, and his only option at the time was to use what Xanxus called Zero Point to freeze the wound. It was agony, and would undoubtedly scar, but he would live and that was all Tsuna cared about.

The man began to rise from his crouch and Tsuna was quick, his hands lashing out gripping the man's head and with a quick flick of his wrists, and a meaty _snap_ the man was dead.

Tsuna pulled himself back into the branches and continued on.

He could sense his Pride over his bonds, utterly infuriated and intent.

He knew they were coming for him.

Tsuna would _not_ be caught and caged before they arrived.

He would not shame the Varia by allowing their teachings to fail him. Would not be the person used to cage those he cared for again.

O~O~O~

Xanxus was a man on a mission.

An enraged Alpha coming after one of its cubs.

They could all sense the moment Tsuna woke wherever he was. They could sense the fight, and were aware of the moment Tsuna slipped into the zen-like state that Xanxus himself had taught the younger Sky to use when he had to kill.

But most importantly, the Pride could sense that Tsuna was _hurt_ , even as he fought.

They tracked every kill their youngest Sky made through their bond, were aware of his resolve, of the way his injuries pained him.

And Xanxus was intensely aware of the spot of _BurningColdHotAgony_ in his cub's side, the familiar pain of Zero Point something he never wanted to feel again, _especially_ not through the bond in a way that meant one of _his_ was experiencing it.

It drove the entire Pride harder, their feelings bouncing and amplifying through their shared bonds even as they used the bond to track Tsuna.

O~O~O~

Tsuna crouched on his branch, his eyes focused on a point not in his physical sight.

He could sense them.

His Pride was approaching.

And they were _furious_.

This Famiglia would _burn_ , he knew. For attacking the children on their Territory, for daring to take him, for trying to hurt the Pride.

Nothing would remain but ash in the wind to warn those who thought to try anything like this again.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **This one…I don't know. It just…insisted it come out like this. -shrugs- So here it is.**


End file.
